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bbc.com
Just Eat and Autotrader among firms investigated in fake reviews probe
The UK's competition watchdog says it is looking at five firms in its investigation into misleading online reviews.
cnbc.com
European stocks fall as Trump extends Iran strike hiatus and G7 ministers meet
European stocks fall as Trump extends Iran strike hiatus and G7 ministers meet
theguardian.com
Brent crude oil hits $110 as Trump’s latest Iran extension fails to calm markets; UK consumers feel ‘ripple of fear’ from the conflict – business live
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as Brent crude trades over $110 a barrel for first time since MondayMiddle East crisis live: Trump pausing strikes on Iran energy sites; Houthis say ‘no reason’ to halt Red Sea shippingThe UK’s car industry is at “crisis point”, economists are warning, after a slump in production in the run-up to the Iran war.UK vehicle production fell by 17.2% in February, with 68,061 units leaving factories, new data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders shows.“Today’s SMMT figures are further evidence that the UK automative industry is at crisis point.At a time when it was already struggling, the war in the Middle East will add to its woes, not only pushing up energy prices but also disrupting the supply chains of key input materials with car makers “panic-buying” aluminium amid fears of a supply shortage.” Continue reading...
cnbc.com
India takes a ‘huge hit’ on tax revenue to keep fuel prices from surging during the Iran war
India takes a huge tax revenue hit as it cuts fuel excise duties to shield consumers from soaring oil prices caused by the Iran war.
cnbc.com
Foreign investors pull a record $12 billion from Indian stocks, sparked by Iran war
Foreign investors are pulling out a record $12 billion from Indian equities as the Iran conflict drives up energy costs and raises doubts on economic growth.
theguardian.com
I was paid to write fake Google reviews – then my ‘bosses’ tried to scam me
Undercover reporter gets a taste of the sprawling fraud industry in which cryptocurrencies play a crucial roleFive firms including Autotrader and Just Eat investigated over fake review failingsThe holiday flat near(ish) the Roman ruins of Pompeii was “disgusting”, and smelled of “a mix of dampness and sewage”, according to one reviewer on Google Maps. I never visited, but I gave it five stars.I did the same for an DoubleTree by Hilton hotel across the Thames river, Ibis budget hotel in east London, that is part of the Accor group, a central Travelodge and the nearby Hyatt Place – some of the best-known hotel brands in the world. Scattered in there were requests for reviews for hostels and B&Bs in Genova, Naples, Maastricht, Krakow and Brussels. For a few days I had a new job: writing fake reviews on Google Maps in exchange for cryptocurrency. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Asia markets trade mixed as murkey U.S.-Iran peace talks prospects keep investors on edge
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed as the prospect of a peace deal in the Middle East remained murky amid contradictory messaging from the U.S. and Iran.
theguardian.com
Five firms including Autotrader and Just Eat investigated over fake review failings
CMA also looks into Pasta Evangelists, funeral operator Dignity and review company Feefo in latest crackdownI was paid to write fake Google reviews – then my ‘bosses’ tried to scam meThe UK competition watchdog has launched investigations into five companies including Autotrader and Just Eat over concerns they have not done enough to tackle fake and misleading online reviews.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which has previously investigated the tech companies Amazon and Google, said its latest crackdown includes the funeral services operator Dignity, the review company Feefo and the restaurant chain Pasta Evangelists. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Governments controlling prices? It has long been unthinkable – but may now be inevitable | Andy Beckett
In Mexico and Spain, leaders who have capped public costs have been rewarded at the ballot box. As another cost of living surge arrives, it may be a policy our leaders are unable to resist Politicians are not supposed to meddle with prices. Even though much of politics is about whether voters can afford things – especially in an era of recurring inflationary shocks – ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union’s planned economy four decades ago, the orthodoxy across much of the world has been that only markets should decide what things cost.As the hugely influential Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek argued, in a complex modern society, information is too dispersed among potential sellers and buyers of goods or services for government to make informed and correct decisions about the prices of those goods. Hence, his disciples say, the inefficiency of state-run economies, from post-colonial Africa to the eastern bloc.Andy Beckett is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
cnbc.com
'Not unlike tariffs': Iran war threatens to deepen Asia private equity's worst fundraising slump in a decade
The Middle East war has introduced a new layer of uncertainty for Asia-focused private equity managers already navigating a multiyear fundraising slump.
theguardian.com
Loft-style apartments for sale in England – in pictures
From a former wartime ‘shadow factory’ in London to converted country mansion in Yorkshire, homes with open living Continue reading...
theguardian.com
In Thailand’s rice paddies, rising petrol prices spell disaster for farmers
Farmers need fuel to keep water pumps running, but many petrol stations are empty and fears are now growing over the war’s impact on cost of fertiliserFollow our live coverage of the events in the Middle East hereThanadet Traiyot waited in line for hours at his local gas station, armed with containers and desperately hoping to secure much-needed diesel for his rice fields in Ayutthaya, central Thailand. He was third in the queue when the shop announced their supplies had run dry. That was five days ago; he still hasn’t managed to restock to his normal levels.Back on his farm, Thanadet wades into his rice paddies, weaving past tall green stalks to assess the water levels and decide which of his water pumps can be turned off. Water needs to be spread equally across the fields, he says, but he doesn’t have enough diesel to keep everything running. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Zelenskyy courts Saudi support as U.S. reportedly weighs redirecting Ukraine aid to Middle East
Zelenskyy met Gulf leaders to seek support for Kyiv as the U.S. reportedly weigh diverting military resources to the Middle East.
bbc.com
Panic buying prompts PM to reassure Australians over fuel supply
Anthony Albanese says nation's supply remains "secure" amid reports of panic buying and shortages.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: 'Period of destruction' paused after Iran's 'present'
President Trump says he will extend a pause on Iranian energy attacks to April 6 after 10 ships were allowed passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
cnbc.com
Private credit's cracks open door for Wall Street banks' comeback: 'The tug of war is just starting'
Wall Street banks may finally be getting a long-awaited opening to claw back market share from private credit lenders.
theguardian.com
More than 6m vapes and pods discarded weekly in UK despite single-use ban, study finds
Number fell 23% year on year in 2025 but waste companies say recycling systems still under strain from sheer volumeMore than 6m vapes and vape pods are still being discarded every week in the UK, with waste management companies warning the sheer volume continues to strain recycling systems despite the ban on disposable e-cigarettes.According to research by the recycling campaign group Material Focus, the 6.3m vapes and pods thrown away each week in 2025 represented a 23% reduction from the previous year. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Ed Miliband’s stock is rising because he’s a rare commodity in Labour these days: a thinker | Gaby Hinsliff
The party seems to have woken up to its need for an old-style intellectual heavyweight to counter the vacuousness of recent yearsNature famously abhors a vacuum. So when Morgan McSweeney departed government, leaving a hole where much of Keir Starmer’s thinking used to be, it was always going to be filled eventually. And increasingly, that filling looks Ed Miliband-shaped.The energy secretary’s influence has visibly grown in recent weeks, and not just because of a spiralling energy crisis in the Gulf. The idea that he is the real prime minister now – the one supposedly calling the shots over everything from whether Britain should join the war on Iran to how far it should pursue its “fatwa against fossil fuels”, as Michael Gove, the former Tory minister turned Spectator editor-in-chief, huffed recently – is on one level just another attempt by the opposition to humiliate Starmer, painting him as a lame-duck leader pushed around by underlings. But if the truth is a bit more nuanced than that, there’s no denying Miliband has grown in stature of late.Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Is Trump losing it? (the war of course) – podcast
Donald Trump says the US has won its war with Iran. Iranian officials responded to this by mocking him.This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to Susan Glasser of the New Yorker about analysis suggesting Trump is losing his touch when it comes to sealing the deal, winning elections or just having the energy to run the White HouseArchive: NBC News, CNN, Bloomberg Television, ABC News, BBC News Continue reading...
theguardian.com
What was Doge? How Elon Musk tried to gamify government – podcast
Steeped in gaming and rightwing culture wars, Musk and his team of teenage coders set out to defeat the enemy of the United States: its peopleBy Ben Tarnoff and Quinn Slobodian. Read by Vincent Lai Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Oil prices fall as Trump says Iran let 10 tankers through Hormuz as a 'present'
Oil prices fell after Donald Trump said Iran had allowed 10 oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
cnbc.com
China industrial profits surge 15% to start year, but oil price shock threatens outlook
Soaring energy prices are expected to impact China's economy less than most other countries, due to its massive oil reserves and alternative energy sources.
bbc.com
Campaigners welcome Meta and YouTube's defeat in landmark social media addiction trial
A woman has been awarded $6m in a verdict that could have implications for hundreds of other cases in the US.
cnbc.com
Anthropic wins preliminary injunction in DOD fight as judge cites 'First Amendment retaliation'
A federal judge in San Francisco granted Anthropic's request for a preliminary injunction in its lawsuit against the Trump administration.
cnbc.com
Sen. Warren rips Federal Reserve chair pick Kevin Warsh: 'You have learned nothing from your failures'
Kevin Warsh's nomination as chair of the Federal Reserve has been in limbo because of a criminal investigation of Chair Jerome Powell.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Could the Strait of Hormuz be close to reopening? Markets cast doubt
The impacts from the Iran war continue to way on global supply chains as economists raise their expectations for a potential recession in the U.S.
bbc.com
How the Hormuz closure could affect food, medicines and smartphones
The price of a wide range of goods - from food, to smartphones, to medicines - could be affected by the US-Israel war with Iran.
bbc.com
Judge rejects Pentagon's attempt to 'cripple' Anthropic
A federal judge told the government it could not immediately enforce a ban on Anthropic’s tools.
theguardian.com
‘Accountability has arrived’: dual US court losses show shifting tide against Meta and co
With two unprecedented trial defeats, big tech firms face crisis akin to that faced by cigarette makers in the 1990sIn the span of just two days, the most powerful social media company in the world faced a more severe public reckoning than it has in years.Jurors in California and New Mexico gave back-to-back verdicts this week that for the first time ever found Meta liable for products that inflict harm on young people. For years, lawmakers, parents and advocates have raised red flags over how social media can hurt children, but now the tech firms are being held to account via court rulings that could set long-lasting precedents. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'Affordability is the biggest thing' - Conservatives mixed on economy under Trump
Conservatives gathered at the annual CPAC conference in Texas were mixed when asked about their feelings on the current economy.
bbc.com
The spiky cactus fruit giving Indian farmers a cash boost
Indian farmers are turning to dragon fruit as a profitable alternative to mangoes and coffee.
bbc.com
Trump's signature to appear on US dollars in first for sitting president
The US president's signature will appear on new paper currency alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
theguardian.com
Federal judge sides with Anthropic in first round of standoff with Pentagon
Face-off is over company’s refusal to let defense department use its Claude AI model in autonomous weapons systemsA federal judge in California sided with Anthropic in its case against the Department of Defense on Thursday, ordering a temporary pause on the government’s punitive measures against the artificial intelligence firm.Judge Rita Lin granted Anthropic’s request for a temporary injunction while the northern district court of California hears the company’s case. Anthropic argued that the Department of Defense and Donald Trump violated its first amendment rights in declaring the company a supply chain risk and ordering government agencies to cease using its technology. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump extends pause on attacking Iran energy facilities to April 6
Trump announced the U.S. would continue a pause on energy sites in Iran as key stock market indexes fell and oil prices rose.
bbc.com
Who knew Lord Sugar is a table tennis fan?
The Apprentice candidates try to sell a table tennis set live on TV.
cnbc.com
Meta boosts investment in West Texas AI data center by over sixfold to $10 billion
Meta is increasing investment at a data center in El Paso, Texas, to $10 billion from $1.5 billion, as the company ramps up spending on AI infrastructure.
cnbc.com
David Sacks says his time as Trump's crypto and AI czar has ended
The venture capitalist said he will still be a part of the White House's Technology committee and will help push Trump's AI plan forward.
cnbc.com
Netflix raises prices across all streaming plans
The price hike comes as Netflix has been investing heavily in its content, including new ventures into the live events space and launching video podcasts.
cnbc.com
Trump says Iran let 10 oil ships through Strait of Hormuz as a 'present' to U.S.
Trump said the U.S has "very substantial talks going on with respect to Iran," though Tehran has denied direct talks have taken place.
theguardian.com
Rachel Reeves urged to raise taxes on companies profiting from war on Iran
Charities say taxes should rise for banks, defence and energy companies which stand to make windfall profitsMiddle East crisis liveRachel Reeves is being urged to raise taxes on businesses generating “windfall” profits linked to the US-Israel war on Iran to fund emergency cost of living support for UK households.With the government under pressure to respond, a group of leading charities, campaigners and trade unions said the chancellor could raise billions by taxing “excess profits” linked to the conflict. Continue reading...
bbc.com
JLR temporarily halts production at Solihull plant
Jaguar Land Rover pauses Range Rover production at its West Midlands factory due to supplier issue.
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on China and Iran: the war poses bigger questions for Beijing than where to get its oil | Editorial
The limits of its partnership with Tehran are unsurprising. But this conflict raises broader issues for the superpowerFor years, official Chinese rhetoric on Iran invoked their shared historical status as grand civilisations that have struggled against western aggression. Bilateral ties date back more than half a century. In 2021, they signed a comprehensive strategic agreement pledging $400bn of Chinese investment. And China’s economy is already flagging; it has just set its lowest growth target since 1991, underlining the importance of stability for Beijing.So its muted response since the US and Israel launched their war is striking. Beijing condemned the attack, but it was Washington that postponed the summit between their leaders because of the conflict. As Gulf states that previously mediated back away, China shows no interest in stepping up.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
NS&I boss forced out as bank faces £470m payout over missing savings
Pensions minister promises the ‘full truth’ as external advisers are hired to identify the scale of the errorsThe chief executive of the state-backed National Savings and Investments bank has been forced out over a scandal that left thousands of bereaved families owed almost £500m.The savings institution is in discussions with the Treasury to repay about 37,500 people who collectively have £470m in deposits trapped in the bank after long-running operational errors. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Iran war is a 'catastrophe,' G7 ministers warn — but there's little they can do to stop it
European leaders and ministers issue warnings about the impact and potential consequences of the Iran war
theguardian.com
The Middle East price shock hasn’t hit Next – yet | Nils Pratley
Timing lags in the retail industry mean the impact of fuel and fabric inflation may not be felt until autumn ranges landIn the context of Next, which has just reported full-year pre-tax profits of £1.16bn, an estimated £15m of extra fuel and air freight costs arising from the Middle East conflict is tiny. The sum, which in any case assumes disruption lasts three months, can be lost in the wash, or more precisely “offset by savings elsewhere”.The chief executive, Simon Wolfson, a boss who tends to err on the side of caution when guiding on profits, saw no reason not to add £8m to this year’s number as a mechanical read-through from last year’s outcome. If there wasn’t a war on, one can assume there would have been a proper profit upgrade. After all, trading seems to have been going like a train up until late-February – “encouraging” in the UK and “strong” overseas. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Elon Musk's X advertising boycott lawsuit dismissed by US judge
US District Judge Jane Boyle said the company had failed to show it had suffered any harm under federal competition laws.
theguardian.com
‘Tehran’s tollbooth’: a visual guide to how a trickle of ships still passes through strait of Hormuz
Many of the vessels willing to make the crossing are taking an alternative route through Iranian watersThreats to shipping have effectively closed the strait of Hormuz since the US-Israel war on Iran began four weeks ago – upending global oil and gas supplies and sending energy prices soaring.In normal times, tankers carry about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies through the narrow channel and on to the rest of the world, while about a third of the global fertilisers necessary for half of the world’s food production pass through in dry bulk vessels. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Brussels opens investigation into Snapchat amid concern over children’s safety
European Commission says social messaging app is exposing children to grooming and sexual exploitationBrussels has opened an investigation into Snapchat over concerns the social messaging app is exposing children to grooming, sexual exploitation and other criminality.In a separate decision on Thursday, the European Commission also said four pornographic websites were failing to prevent minors seeing adult content, harming young people’s mental health and fuelling negative gender attitudes. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
What caused the NS&I missing savings errors and what to do if you’re affected
The state-owned savings bank owes nearly £500m to bereaved family members due to a long-running administrative problemNS&I boss replaced as bank faces record payout over missing savingsNational Savings & Investment (NS&I) owes nearly £500m in missing payments to bereaved families after it emerged a long-running administrative problem had stopped them gaining access to their money. On Thursday, its chief executive, Dax Harkins, was forced out amid the scandal.Here’s what has gone wrong at the state-owned savings bank. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump says oil and stock market reaction to Iran conflict not as severe as he expected
Trump expressed confidence in the war effort and said the economic damage will reverse.
theguardian.com
Next says Middle East conflict could raise clothing prices by up to 10%
Retailer says higher fuel and factory costs may hit supply chains and lead to ‘significant increase in prices’ Business live – latest updatesThe boss of Next has said clothing prices could rise by 4% to 10% if conflict in the Middle East extends into the autumn and factories are hit by higher fuel and fabric costs.Simon Wolfson said the clothing and home retailer had so far seen little disruption to its supply chain. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
There are solutions to Britain’s energy crisis | Letters
Rob Stevens, Nick Robins and Craig Whiteman on building a resilient energy system for the country in light of the Iran war’s impact The Iran war has exposed the cost of successive governments’ fixation on short-term, vote-winning policies, leaving Britain increasingly vulnerable to strategic coercion, particularly in energy (The UK sleepwalked into this energy price shock, 23 March).British companies currently lead a new, technologically proven, job-creating industry which, had it been supported earlier, would have strengthened security of supply and reduced costs. It is tidal stream energy. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
I’m losing my home through a no-fault eviction | Letter
One reader says the government has not done enough to protect tenants from section 21 notices despite years of assurancesRegarding your article on landlords issuing section 21 notices ahead of the upcoming ban on them (24 March), I am currently going through exactly this process. I am being forced out of my home through no fault of my own, after years of paying rent and doing everything expected of a “good” tenant. It turns out that being responsible is not protection, it is merely compliance before eviction.We have been told for years that no-fault evictions would be abolished. And yet here we are – a last-minute rush of notices, entirely predictable, entirely avoidable and entirely devastating for those of us on the receiving end. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Retail firms warn of price hikes if Iran war extends for months
Fashion retailer Next has accounted for millions in additional costs likely to arise from the Middle East conflict
cnbc.com
Israel says it has killed Iran naval chief overseeing Strait of Hormuz blockade
Israel's Defense Forces said Thursday that Iranian naval commander Alireza Tangsiri has been killed in a "precise strike" in the port city of Bandar Abbas.
bbc.com
Don't panic - five ways to stop your kids' endless scrolling
Parenting experts share their tips on how to keep children's screen time under control.
bbc.com
NS&I boss replaced as savers left waiting for millions of pounds
Pensions Minister Torston Bell said those affected would receive compensation "where appropriate".
bbc.com
What is happening to gas and electricity prices?
Typical household bills will fall by 7% when the new energy cap takes effect on 1 April 2026.
bbc.com
How high could UK petrol and diesel prices go?
For every $10 rise in oil prices, motorists face paying roughly 7p per litre more in the UK.
cnbc.com
It’s not just oil and gas. The Strait of Hormuz blockage is rattling another vital commodity
“I'm a lot more concerned about the current crisis than I was when Russia-Ukraine happened four years ago,” one fund manager told CNBC.
theguardian.com
Google warns quantum computers could hack encrypted systems by 2029
Banks, governments and tech providers urged to upgrade security because current systems will soon be obsolete Banks, governments and technology providers need to be prepared for quantum computer hackers capable of breaking most existing encryption systems by 2029, Google has warned.The tech company said in a blogpost that quantum computers would pose a “significant threat to current cryptographic standards” before the end of the decade and urged other companies to follow its lead. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Fossil fuel companies finally accept the climate crisis – just not their role in it
The era of corporate climate denial is over but in courts around the world the big names have shifted strategyWhile the US government continues to call climate change a hoax and attack the science, in courtrooms from The Hague to Honolulu, fossil fuel companies are taking a different approach. Shell, Chevron, RWE and TotalEnergies all accept that climate change is real, human-caused and serious. The era of corporate climate denial, at least in legal proceedings, is largely over.What has replaced it is a more nuanced position: accepting the science of climate change while contesting their responsibility for it. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Two salon owners wanted to go zero-waste. Could they do it and keep their business afloat?
Scisters Salon & Apothecary in the San Diego area is committed to sustainable beauty and going low-wasteThe first thing you notice when you walk into Scisters Salon & Apothecary is what isn’t there. No wall of glossy plastic bottles promising “repair” or “shine”. No sharp chemical tang or aerosol haze. The only trash can is a tiny basket that mostly collects coffee cups and gum wrappers clients bring from home.Instead, the shelves of this southern California salon are lined with large refill containers of shampoo and conditioner, houseplants dot the space, hair clippings are swept away for compost, and the air carries a trace of bergamot and vanilla. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
British Airways to reward pilots for cutting fuel as airlines tackle higher costs
Jet fuel prices surged about 106% compared to a month ago, according to data from the week ending March 20 via the International Air Transport Association.
cnbc.com
Iran war will spare no major economy, says OECD — but the UK is more vulnerable than others
The U.K. is predicted to be worse hit by the Iran war than its developed market counterparts, the OECD said in its interim economic outlook on Thursday.
bbc.com
Port Talbot to become offshore wind hub for Celtic Sea
Port operator ABP will begin work on developing a facility to assemble and launch turbines out to sea.
theguardian.com
Ministers vow to spend record £8.4bn on road maintenance in England
Move is part of £27bn five-year investment plan for A-roads and motorways, with almost a third going on work such as resurfacingMinisters have pledged to spend record amounts on road maintenance as part of a £27bn five-year investment plan for England’s major roads and motorways.The government said it was aiming to “fix the foundations” with almost a third, £8.4bn, of the spending going on maintenance, including resurfacing a quarter of England’s strategic road network. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
What comes next? Three attack scenarios as U.S. sends thousands more troops to Middle East
One of Iran's top lawmakers has said that they were anticipating a potential ground invasion of one its islands.
theguardian.com
Listen to a grieving mother and have no doubts: water privatisation has been a lethal scandal | Clive Lewis
Progressives must wage a battle against a rotten capitalist system that milks our resources – and destroys lives. Let the fightback start with water In more than a decade as an MP, I have attended hundreds of meetings in parliament. Most pass. Some linger. Few stay with you. But a recent event was very different.We hosted the actors, the real-life people they portrayed and the production team behind the Channel 4 docudrama Dirty Business. It tells the story of campaigners and families who have spent years fighting not just privatised water companies, but a system that was meant to protect them – and has too often failed. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'It took six years to receive my late father's premium bonds'
Readers contacted BBC Your Voice to say they not been able to claim funds from dead family members' premium bond investments.
bbc.com
UK forecast to see biggest hit to growth from Iran war out of major economies
The OECD downgrades forecasts for many of the world's biggest economies due to the US-Israel war with Iran.
theguardian.com
Italy seizes €20m of assets allegedly bought with money embezzled from Ursula Andress
‘Misappropriation of financial resources’ from actor, 90, tracked to property, vineyards and olive groves in Tuscany Italian authorities have seized €20m (£17.3m) of assets in Tuscany, including property, vineyards and olive groves, allegedly bought with money embezzled from the actor Ursula Andress.Andress, 90, had filed a complaint in her native Switzerland alleging a “progressive and significant depletion of her assets” by individuals charged with managing her finances, Italy’s financial crimes police said in a statement on Thursday. Continue reading...
bbc.com
How to make the most of your Lifetime Isa
Martin Lewis explains that you can use your Lifetime ISA to buy with someone who has already bought.
theguardian.com
Octopus reports sharp rise in solar panel sales since start of Iran war
Firm’s sales up 54% this month and Good Energy reports doubling of interest in solar after latest oil price shockSolar panel sales have risen sharply since the start of the Iran war, according to Octopus Energy, and households are opting for bigger arrays of roof panels.Sales were up 54% so far this month compared with the same period last month, the company said on Thursday. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Sewage released into England’s rivers and seas nearly 300,000 times last year
Campaigners criticise frequent use of storm overflows when parts of the country were in drought for monthsRaw sewage was discharged into rivers and seas almost 300,000 times last year after the driest spring for more than 100 years and the sunniest and warmest year on record in England.Water companies released raw sewage into rivers and seas from storm overflows – designed to be used in extreme wet weather conditions – 291,492 times. This was a 35% reduction on record spills in 2024. Average discharges were 20.5 spills for each overflow, compared with 31.8 in the previous year. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Whisky giant drops plans for £150m facility in Ayrshire
Suntory Global Spirits did not give a reason for why the plan is not going ahead.
cnbc.com
The oil market is in 'backwardation' — Here’s what that means for energy prices
Oil prices have been rocked by volatility since the U.S.-Iran war began.
theguardian.com
Flights, fertilizer, mortgage rates: how the Iran war is raising more than just US gas prices
Oil is used to power the supply chain, from machines that manufacture a cellphone to diesel that powers a truckFertilizer. Phones and laptops. Flights. These are just some of the products made from or powered by crucial materials that ship through the strait of Hormuz, which still remains effectively closed due to the US-Israel war on Iran.As the war approaches its fifth week, global oil shortages are forcing countries to take severe measures to save their reserves as Iran continues to block oil shipments. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Co-op boss quits after year marked by cyber-attack and claims of ‘toxic’ culture
Shirine Khoury-Haq denies exit linked to allegations about behaviour at retail and funerals group as it sinks to £125m lossBusiness live – latest updatesThe Co-op Group has announced that its chief executive will step down this weekend after a difficult year that included a cyber-attack and recent claims of a “toxic” culture at the business.Shirine Khoury-Haq will depart on 29 March and Kate Allum, a board member and former boss of the dairy group First Milk, will step in as interim boss while a permanent replacement is sought. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Co-op boss quits after 'toxic culture' claims reported by BBC
Shirine Khoury-Haq's departure comes after a troubled year, in which the retailer suffered a cyber-attack and faced allegations about its workplace culture.
theguardian.com
Marriage over, €100,000 down the drain: the AI users whose lives were wrecked by delusion
One minute, Dennis Biesma was playing with a chatbot; the next, he was convinced his sentient friend would make him a fortune. He’s just one of many people who lost control after an AI encounterTowards the end of 2024, Dennis Biesma decided to check out ChatGPT. The Amsterdam-based IT consultant had just ended a contract early. “I had some time, so I thought: let’s have a look at this new technology everyone is talking about,” he says. “Very quickly, I became fascinated.”Biesma has asked himself why he was vulnerable to what came next. He was nearing 50. His adult daughter had left home, his wife went out to work and, in his field, the shift since Covid to working from home had left him feeling “a little isolated”. He smoked a bit of cannabis some evenings to “chill”, but had done so for years with no ill effects. He had never experienced a mental illness. Yet within months of downloading ChatGPT, Biesma had sunk €100,000 (about £83,000) into a business startup based on a delusion, been hospitalised three times and tried to kill himself. Continue reading...
bbc.com
UK CO2 plant to reopen in Iran war contingency plan
The government will invest £100m to restart the Teesside site producing carbon dioxide, a key part of food and drink manufacturing.
bbc.com
'A game-changing moment for social media' - what next for big tech after landmark addiction verdict?
The ruling could be the beginning of the end of social media as we know it, writes the BBC's technology editor Zoe Kleinman.
cnbc.com
Meet Figure AI: The company behind the humanoid robot hosted by Melania Trump
The White House hosted its first humanoid robot guest, with first lady Melania Trump appearing alongside a robot from startup Figure AI.
theguardian.com
‘It dictated the whole atmosphere’: why some landlords are banning kids from pubs
Unruly behaviour, safety concerns and lost trade are forcing some landlords to act, but others argue pubs should remain for everyone“It was like the wild west. If you had an hour, I could talk you through so many scenarios,” says Egil Johansen, the landlord of the Kenton pub in Hackney, east London. He sounds exhausted just remembering them.Johansen is still shaken by the three-year-old who recently toddled behind the bar and tumbled down the cellar hatch while his parents sat, oblivious, in a different part of the pub. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Electronic warfare in the Persian Gulf: How GPS interference is disrupting the Middle East
Since the start of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran on Feb. 28, interference with location-based services has disrupted life across the Persian Gulf.
bbc.com
Trump confirms May meeting with Xi Jinping as Iran war forces postponement
Trump's delayed meeting with Xi Jinping will be the first visit to China by a US president since 2017.
theguardian.com
‘It’s like having a friend everywhere you travel’: after 12 home exchanges, I’ll never book a hotel again
The Which? travel editor on the unexpected joys and considerable savings of house swapping. Plus top tips on how to do itImagine cutting the cost of accommodation on your next holiday to about £5 a day. You can have a whole house, rather than just a bedroom. And you can go almost anywhere in the world and stay as long as you like, within reason. Welcome to house swapping.You’re sceptical, I know. I was, too. Our terrace house was too small. Too overflowing with stuff. The 1980s kitchen was too old (and battered). We aren’t in a nice enough neighbourhood. Who would want to stay here? Lots of people, it turned out. Continue reading...
bbc.com
NHS, bills and immigration: One constituency's election talking points
Six weeks from the Holyrood election, the BBC takes the temperature in one central Scotland constituency.
bbc.com
Working parents 'struggling to afford nappies or food'
More working families asking for baby essentials
bbc.com
Do not turn your heating off, charities warn
Organisations say there is support available after heating oil doubled in price due to the war in Iran.
theguardian.com
Is Cuba Trump’s next target? – podcast
The journalists Ruaridh Nicoll and Daniel Montero report from Havana as Cuba suffers from a devastating oil blockade imposed by the USWhen asked about Cuba by journalists last week, Donald Trump replied: ‘It may be a friendly takeover. It may not be a friendly takeover. It wouldn’t matter, because they’re really down to the fumes.’It was the only the latest in a series of increasingly belligerent statements from the White House about the island 90 miles off the Florida coast. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state and a Cuban-American himself, openly threatens Cuba’s communist leadership. Trump says ‘I can do anything I want with it’. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Rocket stocks soar on report Musk's SpaceX to file for share sale
Reports it plans the biggest listing ever sent the shares of firms in its orbit soaring in US trade on Wednesday.
bbc.com
Prepare for turbulence - how a prolonged Middle East conflict could reshape how we fly
The Gulf's hub airports made long-distance travel cheaper - but now their future looks unclear.
bbc.com
The homeless teenager who became a successful advertising boss
Greg Daily has swapped sleeping on friends' sofas for running a popular digital marketing company.
bbc.com
Octopus boss: We've seen a 50% rise in solar panel sales since start of Iran war
The UK giant is optimistic but chief executive Greg Jackson tells the BBC he is making contingency plans.
bbc.com
Oil prices volatile as Trump talks up Iran negotiations
Crude rose back above $100 a barrel as the US and Iran clashed over bringing the conflict to an end.
theguardian.com
Big tech reckoning: Meta fined $375m in landmark case – The Latest
A court in the US has ordered Meta to pay $375m after a jury found that the company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, enabled harm including child sexual exploitation on its platforms. The landmark victory marks the first time the social media corporation has been successfully sued by a US state over child safety issues. Could it set a new precedent for holding big tech to account? Lucy Hough speaks to the investigative reporter Katie McQue. Continue reading...
bbc.com
UK inflation rate stays at 3% before Iran war hits oil prices
The speed of price rises in the UK has stayed the same, according to data which was collected before the US-Israel war with Iran began.
bbc.com
We need more plumbers and fewer lawyers in AI age, says BlackRock boss
Larry Fink also warns if oil prices stay high for a sustained period it will have "profound implications" for the world economy.
bbc.com
Why are UK prices still rising?
UK Inflation has dropped back from record highs but remains above the Bank of England's 2% target.
theguardian.com
‘I’d smoke Biscoff if I could’: how a little Belgian biscuit became a social media sensation
Biscoff-based recipes are breaking the internet – everything from cheesecakes and milkshakes to prawn dishes and salads. A few traditionalists are even enjoying the biscuits on their own. What’s behind this sweet success story?Around 15 years ago, Ashley Markle was admitted into a secret world, introduced to the treasures of an exclusive supply chain. She was staying at her aunt’s house and, one morning, when her aunt made her a coffee, she placed a little plastic-wrapped biscuit on the side. “I’d never seen them before,” says Markle. She bit into it: “It was a warm flavour that I’d never really had in a cookie. I’m like, what is this?”Her aunt had discovered the small, gently spiced Biscoff biscuits as an airline snack. She loved them so much that she contacted the maker, Belgian company Lotus, and asked them to ship a box to her in the US. At that time, says Markle, “I think she was the only person who actually had them in her home.” But, as we all know, the world changes rapidly. Last year, Biscoff was the fastest-growing biscuit brand in the US. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Would you build your own apps?
Start-ups are offering tech for novices to create apps with the help of AI.
theguardian.com
BT keeps my 90-year-old mother waiting three months to reinstate phone number
Ordeal left vulnerable woman living alone cut off from family, friends and doctorsMy 90-year-old mother was sent home from hospital to die at the end of last year. Since she lives alone, and I’m her sole carer, it was essential that she get broadband so a personal alarm could be fitted.BT told her she’d have to have a temporary phone number while Openreach carried out the work. Continue reading...
bbc.com
US weight-loss drugmakers slash prices in fight to win customers
Weight-loss drug prices are falling in the US - but can the example be repeated?
bbc.com
Germany has a shortage of workers - so it's turning to India for help
The European nation, struggling to find skilled staff, is giving jobs to young people from India.
theguardian.com
Moma brand recalls porridge products over possible mice contamination
Customers told not to eat affected pot and sachet products and to return them to place of purchase for refundSeveral porridge products in the UK have been recalled over a possible mice contamination at their manufacturing site.The British porridge and oat drink brand Moma issued a warning for seven versions of its pots and two of its sachets. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'Club vibes without the hangover': The twenty-somethings going out - in the gym
Young people are driving a gym boom as more fitness spaces are transformed into vibrant hangouts.
bbc.com
Home working, long leases and rise of parking apps - what went wrong for NCP
How could a company that charged as much as £65 for a day's parking fail to turn a profit?
bbc.com
Colombia's budding tech scene needs a cash boost
Colombia has become a tech hub for Latin America, but attracting investors is a challenge.
bbc.com
Sir John Curtice: Why Labour's Brexit focus has shifted from Leavers to Remainers
Will the pursuit of a closer relationship with the EU risk courting electoral disaster by alienating Brexit-backing voters?
bbc.com
How Finnish supermarkets are central to the country's defence
The chains all have detailed plans to follow in the event of the nation going to war.
bbc.com
Is it possible to build a plastic-free home?
Using plastic in construction is cheap and easy, but some are trying to radically cut back its use.
bbc.com
Ukraine's urgent fight on the financial frontline
The war-torn country is battling to secure crucial funding from the IMF and EU, as well as putting up taxes.
bbc.com
Why has Trump eased sanctions on Russian oil - and will it help Putin?
The US said easing sanctions on Russian oil would provide only a limited financial boost to Putin.
bbc.com
Dharshini David: Economy on shaky ground even before Iran war
The government's hopes that 2026 would be the year when growth picks up are at risk of being scuppered.
bbc.com
Can plastic-eating fungi help clean up nappy waste?
Cost and convenience have made disposable nappies dominant - can start-ups compete?
cnbc.com
Register now: Applications open for the World's Top Fintech Companies 2026
CNBC and Statista chart the top fintech players from around the world, ranging from startups to Big Tech names.
bbc.com
The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
bbc.com
Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas
Parts of Britain’s rail network will close for engineering work over the festive period - but is that the right time to do it?
bbc.com
Budget 2025: What's the best and worst that could happen for Labour?
Three days in, after a tax U-turn and partial climbdown on workers' rights, Laura Kuenssberg looks at what impact Budget week might have.
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